The Dr. Oz distraction effect
Tom Rifai, MD, FACP writes: From my perspective as a board certified internist and Fellow of the American College of Physicians, as well as an expert clinical metabolic nutritionist, I believe there is...
View ArticleThe growing chorus against TV quacks
Julia Belluz at Vox.com has written an extensive analysis of the many medical professionals who are criticizing Dr. Oz for his dangerous quackery. She also discusses the work we are doing here at...
View ArticleMedical students take action
Organized medicine has predominantly taken a passive approach to quack doctors who spread misinformation. While groups like the American Medical Association have policy on the books asking doctors to...
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It’s a testable hypothesis
This week I was interviewed on CNN about my work on this website. I was joined by Dr. David Katz, a physician at Yale who is also friends with Dr. Oz. During the interview Dr. Katz said the following...
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The limits of free speech: An interview with I. Glenn Cohen
Many doctors have written to me with concerns that trying to curtail the promotion of dangerous medical ideas in the media may lead to heavy-handed regulation of what physicians say in general. These...
View ArticleMedia and the new public health
Julia Belluz at Vox published an article discussing the tensions between being a scientist/physician and being involved in the popular media. My views on the importance of this issue were also quoted:...
View ArticleDoctors unite to defend patients
In an earlier post I described a policy proposal written by a group of medical students. We asked the American Medical Association to take the lead on the issue of medical ethics in the media. It turns...
View ArticleA growing concern among future doctors
Recently I discussed a new AMA policy that was written by a group of medical students. You’ve heard plenty from me about why I think doctors should be active in ensuring medical information in the...
View ArticleFrom death panels to Dr. Oz: An interview with Joy Lee
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve written about a new AMA policy authored by a group of medical students and co-sponsored by medical residents and fellows. I’ve been sharing details about how this...
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Journalists are not the end game: An interview with Gary Schwitzer
Gary Schwitzer, founder of HealthNewsReview Gary Schwitzer is the founder of HealthNewsReview.org, an indispensable resource for journalists, consumers, and physicians who want to understand the...
View ArticlePutting corporations between people: how medical conspiracy theories hinder...
The worst advocates for modern medical and scientific advances are the people who sell them. I hope this isn’t an extraordinary claim. While the invisible hand of the market is a necessary driver of...
View ArticleTaking this seriously
“America this is quite serious. America this is the impression I get from looking in the television set. America is this correct?” — Allen Ginsberg, “America” (1956) Welcome to the Doctors In Oz Blog....
View ArticlePrecious metals
In this blog post I’m going to talk about a subject that has gotten significant media attention: Dr. Oz and his dubious recommendations of supplements and fad diets. This anecdote isn’t a success story...
View ArticleThe speed of science
A reader sent me the following nutrition advice that she came across while browsing Dr. Oz’s website: The following foods feed fat cells, so steer clear! * Carbohydrates, with the exception of...
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Supplements, the long war: An interview with Paul Crane (Part 1)
When you first hear the website’s name, UltimateFatBurner, you’re bound to think it’s just another hastily-constructed marketing tool for the latest fad supplement. But browse the website and you’ll...
View ArticleSupplements, the long war: An interview with Paul Crane (Part 2)
We’ll now continue our interview with Paul Crane, the founder of UltimateFatBurner, a popular website devoted to science-based supplement reviews. See the first part of our interview here. BM: What...
View ArticleThe Dr. Oz distraction effect
Tom Rifai, MD, FACP writes: From my perspective as a board certified internist and Fellow of the American College of Physicians, as well as an expert clinical metabolic nutritionist, I believe there is...
View ArticleCommon Quackery: The struggle to fight medical nonsense while atoning for our...
Forgive me Osler, for I have sinned Not everyone agrees with what I’m advocating for politically. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. I’m a mere medical student, yet I’m speaking brazenly about the harm...
View ArticleThank you
This project has been completed. Thank you to the hundreds of people who shared their experiences with me. There is no doubt about it: the health information that gets spread through the media is...
View ArticleForbes on our work
“The appearance by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on the “Dr. Oz Show” to discuss his health will reportedly include a one-page summary of the GOP candidate’s medical history. But the...
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